


What Matters

by Viking_woman



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Grief, Implied Violence, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Optimism, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:55:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23055061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viking_woman/pseuds/Viking_woman
Summary: Somehow, a letter from the Inquisition finds Anders.Originally published 9/7/2019
Relationships: Anders/Female Hawke
Kudos: 8





	What Matters

He doesn’t know how the messenger finds him, and that’s concerning on its own. But once he reads Varric’s letter, it doesn’t matter.

_I’m sorry, Blondie._

None of it matters, as his knees sink into the mud, and the letter crumbles in his hand.

“Sir?” The messenger shuffles his feet.

“Go,” he says. He can feel Justice, Vengeance, close to the surface, burning and screaming. How dare they. **How dare they!**

The messenger mumbles something, and leaves.

Anders is left with a letter full of condolences, and an empty hole in his chest. He wants to make them pay; The Inquisition. Who are they, to lord over someone’s life, and send them to their death. He wishes Dana never left, that they never asked her to help in the first place.

He goes inside, and starts packing. He’ll go there, and he’ll make them pay. Another Chantry organization, with little care for people. Dana has paid enough, and they’ll burn.

No. NO.

He knows why she left. The world hangs in the balance, and in the end she does what is right. She would forgive them as she forgave him.

He sighs, and sits on their bed, and he lets himself cry.

-

It takes a long time. He barely knows how long – months, a year? But he has a purpose, and nothing can stop him. There isn’t something he hasn’t lost already, and what does he have to do? They don’t know who he is here, other than the healer who works for pittance and feeds the stray cats. It was peaceful, but purposeless. Unlike now, when he is consumed by the single purpose of finding Dana in the fade.

_I’m sorry Blondie. Hawke did what she always did. She chose to stay behind and fight the Nightmare. She was a true hero._

Anders has convinced himself that she isn’t dead. He has convinced Justice too (for they are the same). He isn’t a fadewalker, but with the help of Justice, he finds a way to go to the fade anyway. He’s a mage, after all.

He isn’t sure what happens next, not really. Justice is in charge in the fade, and it’s confusing and it’s like time doesn’t work the way it usually does. What matters is that Dana is there, suspended and alive. The demon she fought is dead; somehow. He isn’t sure if it’s Vengeance’s or Dana’s doing, and it doesn’t matter. She is alive and they pull her out, through the cracks of the world.

-

“Anders,” she says when she finally wakes. They cling to each other, tears and kisses, his fingers in her hair.

“You survived,” he says. “Don’t – don’t leave me like that again.” He knows she’s a hero and can’t promise, but he says it anyways.

“Don’t worry. I’m hard to get rid of.”

He kisses her again, and Vengeance is sleeping, and Champions don’t die.


End file.
